Issue 4

ELLO TO ALL NEW READERS AND WRITERS OF THE LINGUIST MAGAZINE!

This next issue (our fourth ever) marks the fruits of a very exciting start to the new semester. We have had loads of members emerge from first year and notably from the international students’ community who have been so enthusiastic about joining our dynamic team. We have some fascinating articles, many of which are based on students’ personal experiences abroad.

In this jam-packed issue you’ll find, as usual, the first half in English with articles geared towards affairs around the globe – take a look especially at “Rio +20: The Last Hope” and “Snowy Style”. The second half of the magazine is dedicated to the foreign languages studied here at UoB. There you can dip into the ones you know or maybe you could even pick up a language you are not so familiar with! Remember that The Linguist provides the unique opportunity on campus to read and write articles in foreign languages.

Enjoy, Maddie Kilminster Editor

CAL CAREERS AT UOB

Your guide to a career with languages. Get Creative!

The world really is your oyster if you have language skills and it can be hard to know what your career prospects can be. However, Careers Network, your university careers service can help. We have a dedicated team that can help you explore your options for a career with languages and help you gain valuable work experience using your language skills.

“CREATIVE CAREERS OPENED MY EYES TO CAREER OPPORTUNITIES THAT WERE RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME, I’D JUST NEVER KNOWN HOW TO GRASP THEM BEFORE”

LIVINGAND WORKINGINFRANCE-1STNOVEMBER2-3PM,ARTSLR6

If you’re thinking about moving to France or want to know more about employment prospects and life in France, come to hear from Anne Le Cornu from Pole-Emploi (French Government Employment Service). Anne will talk about the job market and recruitment methods in France, and provide resources to help with your French job hunt.

@CALcareers

3

SOHOWCANWEHELP? Careers Network run internship drops in every TUESDAY AND THURSDAY FROM 12.30PM UNTIL 1.30PM IN ARTS 360 where you drop in with any questions you may have about work experience or bursary support. You can also get your CV and applications checked by one of our Careers Advisors as well as get help with interviews.

CURRENT AFFAIRS

IGNITE THE FLAMES OF RETRIBUTION by Siobhan O’Sullivan

It all started with a low budget, poorly made YouTube video which pokes fun at the origins of Islam and portrays the prophet Mohammed as violent, blood thirsty and a paedophile. The trailer of ‘Innocence of Muslims’ has racked up around 5 million views alone and sparked a torrent of attacks on American Embassies throughout the Middle East. And to prepare the viewer for the ignorant film which they are about to see, in light of the backlash of attacks, YouTube gives a simple warning that the footage may be viewed at the viewer’s digression- and this warning doesn’t even feature on all clips of the video.

The anger generated from this video resulted in riots, protests and burnings of the American flag in American Embassies and establishments in; Yemen, Egypt, Libya, Nigeria, France, Gaza, Iran, India, Tunisia, Lebanon, Sudan, Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar and many more. Even London saw approximately 1,000 people gather in protest outside the American Embassy over the controversial film. In Egypt, 3000 people scaled the walls of the American Embassy in Cairo in 3 days of riots, leaving 224 people injured in the protests.

U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three others were killed in Libya as the American Embassy there came under siege from men armed with AK-47s and grenades. Ambassador Chris Stevens died of smoke inhalation in the safe room as the building around him was engulfed in flames. Unfortunately, these deaths were not isolated, a further 4 people were killed in Yemen and many more in nations across the Middle East. In Lebanon’s capitol even Colonel Sanders caught the retribution for the film with one establishment of the KFC franchise being attacked and burnt on September 11th, killing one person and injuring many others.

We are also reminded that it was only last year that Florida Pastor Terry Jones burnt a copy of the Quran in front of his congregation and the press, igniting outrage in the world’s media. This incident makes for another anti-Islamic clip to have reached YouTube, and this one carries no warning.

Is it any wonder then that the USA faces so much anti-American anger from the Middle East? Or can the media be partially blamed for the outpouring of radical action when the Middle East is portrayed to us in the West as a troubled land of fundamentalists; and America to the Middle East as war mongering busy bodies? If the world is only viewed through the eyes of stereotypes then this is the inevitable result. The film was directed by one ‘Sam Bacile’ which is believed to be a pseudonym for Nakoula Basseley Nakoula- a 55 year old American- Egyptian. Last month he was held without bail for violation of probation of an existing federal offence. He has so far not be directly linked or charged without the antiIslamic film, but the evidence around him is mounting.

RIO +20: THE LAST HOPE by Jessica Brand

Over the summer, while most of us were revelling in the fact exams were over, sunning ourselves overseas and taking full advantage of a fully stocked fridge at home, 190 of the most influential people in the world were travelling to Brazil for the United Nations Rio +20 Earth Summit.

Twenty years after the first earth summit, hopes were diminishing of there ever being an answer to our planets sustainable development needs and as the media and environmental groups looked on, there was scheduled to be some heated conflicts.

While Barack Obama, David Cameron and Angela Merkel were not present, Brazil and the other BRIC nations took the lead at the beginning of the ten day mega summit. Whilst Hillary Clinton dodged any notion of the US taking governmental action, global youth representative, Brittany Trilford, nobly stated what many were thinking in that there didn’t seem much ambition and confidence in the delegates. The next nine days passed similarly, and protests in the streets of Brazil continued.

The romanticised conclusion of the summit, in the form of the contradictorily named report ‘The Future We Want’, was heavily criticised for lacking direction and commitment. However these views were strongly defended, in particular by Ban Ki Moon, the UN secretary general, who was optimistic about the summit and said the report was the guide to a sustainable future and a reaffirmation of the previous action plan, Agenda 21, which has had strong backing in many countries since it was implemented at the 1992 UN conference.

The combination of weak leadership, postponed decisions and a perception of more important business elsewhere has unfortunately led many to the supposition that the summit and follow up report was, yet again, a waste of time, money and energy.

MERKEL, GREECE AND THE EURO CRISIS. A GERMAN PERSPECTIVE?

By Anita Baumgaertner

TheEuropeanUnioniscrumbling,a“GermanPerspective”onthecurrentsituationofprotestsinGreeceisoughttobeinterestingamongstall ofthenegativitywhichisoftenhauntingnewspaperheadlines.

So, let’s start with my home base. Even since France’s Sarkozy has disappeared from the scene, with his status as a tower of strength in Europe, our first female Chancellor Mrs. Merkel hasn’t relented in her efforts in the creation of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), with an ever increasing domestic demand to save as much of the German taxpayer’s money as possible. She may be acting like this because she is mocked for being an opportunist occasionally. Proof of this lies in the former sound bites of the strong woman herself, who, when fighting for the energy turnaround, used to say things like: “It’slikebakingacake–hereandtheresomethingcangowrong”about nuclear power. But then, that was 14 years ago, before the onset of national leadership.

Let’s go further to Greece. What I could see on German TV were some sensational documentaries about corruption and workless people ravaging the streets of Athens, cameras showing the extent to which everything there is going wrong. I found that worrying in the German press. Just as worrying as I find pictures of Merkel dressed up as Nazi in Greek newspapers. Concluding neither country does too well regarding the neutrality of their media coverage. It’s no surprise that in a survey only 39 per cent of Germans think that Greece shall stay in the Eurozone.

To sum it up: media coverage, impressions, and personal situation will change each individual views. As for “my German perspective,” I’d like to clarify that I cannot sense any negative energy, neither against Greece nor its population within my social contacts. I can therefore conclude that it is media coverage that over-emphasizes the divisions between the European spectrum of nations

“IT’S LIKE BAKING A CAKE – HERE AND THERE SOMETHING CAN GO WRONG”

THE CONTRADICTORILY NAMED REPORT ’THE FUTURE WE WANT’, WAS HEAVILY CRITICISED FOR LACKING DIRECTION

LIFE & STYLE

EUROPEAN CONCEPTUALISM COMES TO H&M By Jake Hall

MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA X H&M

With the world of fashion slowly becoming more and more accessible, the announcement of collaborations between designers and high-street stores rarely elicits excitement, so it is without doubt an achievement that the Dutch fashion house Maison Martin Margiela’s diffusion range for H&M is currently the hot topic of the fashion world. The news was received with scepticism as well as curiosity; renowned for his high-budget, conceptual runway shows (the latest saw all of his models with their faces obscured by diamond-encrusted masks), many were eager to discover if the designer would be able to showcase his trademark eccentricity on a highstreet budget.

STYLISED VERSIONS OF EVERYDAY WARDROBE STAPLES

The capsule collections (one for men, one for women) offer stylised versions of everyday wardrobe staples; from sequinned trousers to duvet coats, asymmetric macs to shearling jackets, all of the pieces are minimalist in their aesthetic whilst still being fashion-forward enough to warrant the high-end price tag (prices range from between £29.99 and £199.99). The coats, in particular, are an investment worth making; the white cowl-neck duvet coat is a statement piece with its exaggerated silhouette and edgy zip detailing, yet the key factor is that it remains wearable.

The men’s collection is remarkable in its ambition; shying away from the monochrome separates that have become synonymous with menswear, the mirror-ball jacket, satin T-shirts and grey painted boots are effortlessly cool and are stylish without being overly dramatic. In terms of execution, it is the nuances that set the garments apart from other high-street collections; asymmetric hemlines, contrasting fabrics and tapered cuts display an attention to detail rarely associated with the high-street.

The collections are without a doubt a success in the sense that they combine the luxury of designer products with the wearability of high-street clothing, showing that designer quality doesn’t need to be compromised with high-street diffusion lines. The collection will launch in H&M stores on November 15th

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE- WINTER

http://thefashionkeeper.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/russian-street-style.html

By Megan Jones

For the few days in the year that snow falls in the United Kingdom, the whole country unites in a sense of commotion. Every woman, be it a fashionista or the average student, turns to the Uggs or the wellies, throws on as many layers as possible and unwillingly braves the unknown. Yet fly across the world to certain areas of Russia and Canada where white skies, snow-ridden streets and extremely low temperatures are the norm, and you’ll find an array of the most stylish women embracing the frostbite.

Scan through any Russian street style blog and one thing may shockingly catch your eye: they all wear heels. In the snow. A death-trap for any Brit, these Russian fashionistas are experts in the art of snow strutting. Most opt for heeled boots, be it ankle or over-the-knee, après-ski (given that Chanel have a ski range) or shearling, with the daring few choosing finer styles.

Despite its controversy, fur is a staple piece of any Russian’s wardrobe and gives that infamous sultry and stylish look. With prices starting in the high hundreds, however, a dark coloured faux fur coat or collar can look just as luxurious and, when paired with leather gloves, is the perfect way to add a touch of that classic Russian style to a British winter wardrobe; visit any vintage store for this seasonal staple. Many keep their style simple: layers of a classic shirt, blazer and belted coat in muted colours, though brighter hues work perfectly to stand out against the white surroundings. For a more casual Canadian chic: chunky knits, thick parkas and cosy beanies.

So, as the temperature starts to plummet this winter, don’t hide next to the fire in your flannel PJs, embrace your inner Snow Queen and brave the Winter Wonderland.

SNOWY STYLE

By Amy Wakeham

CULTURE

EASY AS COOKIES—THE MUSICAL by

In die erste Schüssel Zucker, 280 Gramm, und Zuckerrübensirup (wenn wir so was ham)', davon nehm' ich 40 Gramm und mixe geschwind, so lang bis keine Klümpchen mehr vorhanden sind.

Dazu 200 Gramm weiche Margarine und

2 frische Eier

Anita Baumgärtner

Studying German and getting delicious chocolate chip cookies as a result? The German acapella band "Wise Guys" makes exactly that happen! Starting as a group of friends in 1990, the main aim of the crazy quintet has always been to entertain and amuse their audience and enjoy language. This is evident in songs like "Schiller"(a cover of MJ's Thriller) and"Denglish". But before saying a little more about the band, I'll show you how to make these munchies.

280 grams of sugar - brown is my favourite

40 grams of sugar beet syrup (replaceable with honey)

200 grams of margarine

2 eggs

400 grams of flour

1 teaspoon of baking soda or natron

300 grams of chocolate

Mix the sugar and the beet syrup until all blobs disappear. Then add the margarine and the eggs and stir again. Cut the chocolate into pieces (size is up to you) and add it to the dough. Nibbling is allowed (and strongly recommended). Then make balls out of it and put them on the griddle - leave enough space, those babies will rise.

My favourite part is "Die ersten Zutaten kann man lustig variieren" - meaning that everything is interchangeable. Replace the eggs by a banana to enjoy a vegan version of these great biscuits. By the way, there's also an English version with a slightly different, more American recipe. Although it took a while, after twelve albums the Wise Guys became pretty popular in Germany and their most famous song "JetztistSommer"is a must-have on every iPod and party-playlist Their new album "Zwei Welten" is available now - go check it out!

FOOD & DRINK

ENTRECÔTE

By Sacha Reay

If you’re a fellow French student pondering over what city to go to for your year abroad, then here’s something which may make your choice a little easier…

One word: L’Entrecôte. For some, the French word for a premium cut of beef used for steaks. For the people lucky enough to live in Paris, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Nantes or Lyon on their year abroad, Entrecôte is the infamous steak house that made our years in France SO much more enjoyable.

So here’s the low down for all you Entrecôte virgins. It all began in 1959 in Paris, under the rather more formal name of ‘Le Relaise de Venis – Son Entrecote’. Since then its unique menu has stayed the same, and there’s a good reason for this. With steak and chips the only thing on the menu, the only decision you’ll need to make is how you want yours cooked, that and your choice of wine of course. After that you’ll be brought the house salad, which sounds boring but somehow manages to have just the right amount of dressing and just the right amount of walnuts to be delicious . Next up is the main event. You’ll be brought a silver platter full of finely chopped steak, smothered in their secretsauce – a recipe that has been kept a top family secret since its creation in 1966. Trust me; you’ll want to savour every bite. All of this AND unlimited chips for the moderate price of €17, I’m sure you can see why I’m so keen to share this place with you. The restaurants are hard to miss. With their bright yellow and black striped exterior, teamed with their famous tartan wallpaper on the inside, Entrecôte definitely knows how to stand out. Its waitresses strut their stuff in old-school yellow shirts and black aprons. The whole experience is quite bizarre, and the phrase ‘so wrong it’s right’ comes to mind. But I urge you to try it out. Entrecote was definitely the cherry on top of my year abroad, and it will be my first pit-stop when I next go back to Montpellier.

And here’s something which may make your choice a little easier… http://www.entrecote.fr/

PRESERVING THE FRENCH CUISINE

By Roberta Patellaro

In the Seventeenth Century, during the reign of Louis XIV, French nobles could run a meal for up to twelve hours with ten different dishes! Of course, this is not the case anymore, but can French people really feel satisfied with a mere McDonald’s tray? Fortunately the UNESCO committee had a different opinion and it decided to enter the French traditional gastronomic meal in the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding. The actual ritual of the meal is considered as important as the food itself, as it is thought to be a social practice through which one can celebrate important moments in life and which brings people together.

Everyday French lunches and dinners include four different dishes: a main dish with meat or fish, salad, cheese with bread and a dessert. Wine and coffee usually accompany the main meals. The French diet is considered one of the healthiest providing general adequate nutrition. Every region in France has its typical dishes: for example in the North of France Flemish cuisine prefers beer, pork and potatoes; whilst in the South of France the Spanish and Italian influences mean that tomatoes and herbs feature heavily.

Especially during the last decade, the French have felt even more threatened regarding losing this fundamental part of the French culture to the global Americanization. They decided therefore to grab the pitchforks against McDonald’s, which still has France as a leading market in Europe. From 1979 when the first McDonald’s opened in Strasbourg, hundreds of bistros and boulangeries left place to the American fast food. The last act of Gallic Cuisine preservation occurred about a year ago, when the French government banned school and college cafeterias from serving ketchup to students with any dish but French fries once a week (which were actually invented in Belgium and not France). The point being that children can use ketchup to cover the taste of any food but they need to get familiar with French recipes so that they can continue to exist with the following generations.

Therefore, if you ever are lucky enough to travel around France, rather than going to the usual American fast food joint, go into a boulangerie and for the same price try a fresh baguette sandwich, the famous ‘soupe à l'oignon gratinée’ (onion soup) or the delicious ‘crêpes au sucre et au citron’ (crepes with sugar and lemon).

TRAVEL

PARK LIFE IN SHANGHAI by

Laura Brindley

Having a free morning, my family and I decided to explore the French Concession of Shanghai. The French Concession was created in 1849, when following the loss of the Opium Wars, Shanghai was forced to give a plot of land to the French to use as an international port of call. The concession was a trendy and prosperous area for French as well as British, Americans and Russians to negotiate business and politics in a Europeanised Shanghai. When in 1937, the Japanese army invaded Shanghai most foreigners living in Shanghai left the city. By 1946 all international concessions officially came to an end.

The area now offers an impressive fusion of European and Chinese style buildings. Quaint boutiques, galleries, chic bars and restaurants are to be found along leafy streets, as well as history and culture being showcased in the house of Sun Yat-sen. Fuxing Park in my opinion is the true gem of the French Concession however. Entering the park I was not expecting to come out feeling elated by Chinese culture. The average weather of a Saturday morning brought locals of all ages; from oldies playing intense games of mah-jong, to small children wobbling on bicycles. In the corner, locals aged from forty to eighty congregated to bellow out hymns. I noticed after spectating for a while that anyone was welcome to join in, for occasionally onlookers would be enticed by the camaraderie of the singing and would subtly join the crowd. Behind a big flower bed I found a young man doing Tai chi. I was amazed by the absolute focus the man had on his strong, poised actions. His ability to zone out his surroundings was remarkable. All around the park, people were doing whatever they felt like in that moment in time. There was no fear of being judged or laughed at. It was this absence of self-consciousness that made my visit to Fuxing Park one to remember.

QUAINT BOUTIQUES, GALLERIES, CHIC BARS AND RESTAURANTS ARE TO BE FOUND ALONG LEAFY STREETS

ON FREEDOM’S TRAIL by Kirsten

Peters Roebuck

Mid-August in New England, and the inevitable mass-exodus of European students shaking off the ribbons and perma-smiles of camp counsellors begins. Every Greyhound, Peter Pan and Megabus headed towards centres of civilisation is packed to the rafters, not only with over -excited and exhausted ex-camp workers, but also with their 23 kilos of luggage, stuffed with three months worth of fancy dress clothes! Such was the situation I found myself in on August 19th, as I left behind my home for the summer in Connecticut’s Mohawk mountains towards Boston: a truly unforgettable city.

A 2.5 MILE RED LINE AROUND THE CITY THAT TAKES IN THE KEY HISTORICAL LANDMARKS

Having just found freedom from hectic and non-stop camp life, we thought it only apt to conquer the Freedom Trail – a 2.5 mile red line around the city that takes in the key historical landmarks, including the site of the Boston Massacre, Faneuil Hall and the USS Constitution. Unsurprisingly, we veered considerably from the course towards various shopping/eating/photo opportunities, and so two and a half miles became considerably more. The charming Bostonians we met along the way ensured that our full day of walking, despite inappropriate footwear, became a true highlight of my summer. Those charming Bostonians included the firefighters of Engine 50, a fire station you’ll pass while on the Freedom Trail approaching Bunker Hill Monument – not an official stop, but a lovely group of heroes who I’d advise striking up conversation with if you ever get the chance and the wonderful security at Massachusetts State House, who allowed us to explore areas usually off limits to the general public.

When in Boston, it would be near criminal to miss a Red Sox game, and although the rules were somewhat vague to me, the atmosphere in Fenway Park and the surrounding streets made it entirely clear why. Boston loves baseball. From the food stands in the street, to the singalong ‘Take Me Out To The Ball Game’, everything screams Americana, in the most wonderful, truthful way.

LA VIE MONTPELLIER by Sacha Reay

Being voted as ‘The French place to go’ by the New York Times, I like to think of Montpellier as France’s best-kept secret. Situated on the south coast of France on the Mediterranean Sea, I’m sure you can all understand my reasons for picking this city for my year abroad. However, stepping off the plane one sunny day in September, I knew that this city had a lot more to offer than just sun, sea and sand.

Boasting a student population of 70,000, Montpellier’s city centre has a young, vibrant atmosphere that automatically makes you feel at home. Despite being the eighth largest city in France, Montpellier manages to create such a cosy bubble that you’ll never feel out of your depth in this beautiful city.

FRANCE’S BEST-KEPT SECRET

So if you’re considering Montpellier for your year abroad, or even just for a quick weekend away, here’s my list of things you MUST do: Eat. The list of places to eat in Montpellier is endless, I advise you to try out as many as possible. A personal favourite is ‘Aux 2 Fondues’. Gorge yourself with meat, cheese, bread and potatoes, teamed with baby bottles full of wine. If you’re a fun group you’ll be treated well, and may even be asked to give up your knickers to add to their collection!

Go to the lake. When I first arrived in Montpellier, whispers of this hidden lake frustrated me to the max. When we finally found out how to get there we were more than excited. Take along a picnic and meat if you fancy a barbeque. Prepare for a long, hard day of sunbathing –trust me it’s hard work!

Party. Admittedly Montpellier’s nightlife is a little embarrassing in comparison to what Birmingham has to offer, but this won’t stop you having a great night. Have big pre-drinks, prepare yourself for cheesy Spanish music, then head to Panama or Cargo; I promise you won’t be disappointed!

Français

LES MERVEILLES DE GRENOBLE par Hannah Dove

Peut-être avez-vous déjà entendu parler de Grenoble? Moi, quand j’avais demandé les avis de certains amis français, on m’avait dit que c’était une ville moche et polluée. Alors vous pouvez imaginer l’état de panique dans lequel j’étais vu que je venais de choisir Grenoble comme destination pour mon année à l’étranger. On m’avait aussi raconté (comme si c’était une chose dénigrante) que Grenoble c’était le Birmingham de la France. Projetons-nous 6 mois en arrière. Je suis à l’aéroport, et la panique fait un retour en force, mais cette-fois-ci mes questions ne se concentrent plus sur la beauté de la ville et la gentillesse des gens, mais plutôt sur des grandes énigmes comme: comment vais-je faire pour trouver un appartement? Pourquoi n’a-t-on pas encore inventé la téléportation pour transporter toutes mes affaires? Les français ne mangent pas de bacon! Quoi?! Heureusement une camarade de Birmingham venait aussi à Grenoble et sa terreur à l’idée d’une année sans Marmite et Cheddar dépassait la mienne.

Dès que nous sommes arrivées à Grenoble nos inquiétudes ont disparu. Grenoble est une ville située dans la région Rhône-Alpes, dans le sudest de France. Dans une vallée aux portes des Alpes, la ville est entourée de montagnes et le centre-ville est une collection de rues sinueuses bordées de bars, restaurants et boutiques. C’est un endroit où la vie urbaine et la nature sont en parfaite harmonie.

Le reste de l’année était merveilleux. Je n’oublierai jamais les soirées passées dans LaBobine avec des amis français et d’autres étudiants Erasmus, ou aux FrèresBerthom,où la bière était à 12%. Ni des après-midis d’hiver passés à manger des croquemonsieurs ChezMéméPaulette , ou boire un chocolat chaud à PainetCie . Et je ne regretterai jamais l’argent dépensé à LafermeàDédé,un restaurant qui sert une des meilleures tartiflettes que je n’ai jamais goutée.

Bien sûr, ce n’était pas toujours joyeux et j’aurai quelques conseils pour les futurs Erasmus de Grenoble. Premièrement, essayez de trouver un appartement avant de venir à Grenoble, c’est beaucoup plus simple et les sites comme ‘appartager.com’ sont super. Deuxièmement, je vous dirai d’investir dans un vélo, les forfaits de trams sont très chers et un vélo est indispensable. Finalement, profitez du temps que vous avez, l’année passe trop vite!

UNE VISITE À PARIS (À PIED) par Emily Lampard

Survivre Paris sans l’utilisation des transports en commun: dès le début il est clair que c’est une idée ridicule. A moins que l’on ait un chauffeur personnel, c'est vraiment difficile pour quelqu'un de voir des attractions de Paris sans avoir à utiliser les transports en commun. Mais pour moi et mon amie, il y a quelques mois, le but de notre voyage parisien était (comme celui de beaucoup d’étudiants avant nous) de dépenser aussi peu que possible.

LE BUT DE NOTRE VOYAGE PARISIEN ÉTAIT DE DÉPENSER AUSSI PEU QUE 'POSSIBLE’ OR ‘NOUS AVONS FAIT UNE MINI-TOURNÉE DES BARS PRÈS DE LA SEINE AU RETOUR’

Alors, nous avons campé au Bois de Boulogne, et nous nous sommes résolues à aller partout à pied. La première chose que nous avons eu à gérer fut notre location de camping. Il était sur la partie du Bois de Boulogne la plus éloignée du centre de Paris, ainsi nous avons dû choisir entre une heure de marche à travers les bois deux fois par jour ou prendre la navette à Porte Maillot, une décision qui ne correspond clairement pas au but de notre mission! Cette randonnée boisée s’est démontrée plus ardue le premier et le dernier jour de notre voyage à cause des valises, et puis le dernier jour nous sommes restées coincées à attendre pendant 12 heures notre Megabus avec nos valises dans les rues parisiennes.

Un jour où nous nous sentîmes plutôt ambitieuses nous avons décidé de marcher de notre camping jusqu’à la Sorbonne de l’autre côté de Paris. Pour nous ce fut une randonnée si longue et si pénible qu’elle a conduit ma copine à pleurer pour le ‘off-licence’ le plus proche. Par hasard, nous avons fait une mini-tournée des bars près de la Seine au retour. À la fin de notre voyage nous en avons conclu que bien sûr, c’était une idée ridicule pour nous: on ne peut pas nier le rôle essentiel du métro à Paris!

Español

ESTUDIANDO’ EN MURCIA: ¿UN AÑO DE SIESTA Y FIESTA? Por Emma

Shaw

Hace poco más de un año, si me hubieras preguntado como me sentía antes de partir para mi año al extranjero, te habría dicho que no podía expresarlo con palabras. Tenía miedo de estar tan lejos de mi país y mi familia, me preocupaba porque solo llevaba dos años estudiando español y no conocía a nadie allí. Pero a pesar de mis preocupaciones, me moría de ganas de vivir en una cultura completamente diferente, en una ciudad donde hacía sol todos los días y la gente vivía de una manera relajada, saliendo cada noche y aprovechando la vida. Eso es la imagen de España que tenía antes de irme a Murcia, pero ¿es la verdad? Ahora aunque todavía no puedo expresar con palabras lo mucho que ha cambiado mi vida, si puedo decir que mi año en Murcia fue el mejor año de mi vida, y siempre lo será.

Al llegar a Murcia, estuve sumergida inmediatamente en la cultura viva y emocionante. Viví con una mujer española, que era como mi madre española y me ayudaba más de lo que podía imaginar. El primer día en la universidad fue una pesadilla, no tenía ni idea de lo que tenía que hacer y todo era un caos, pero poco a poco fui aprendiendo y conseguí relajarme y tomar las cosas tal y como son.

En cuanto a los estereotipos de España, puedo confirmar que todo el mundo llega tarde, especialmente los profesores así que ¡te aconsejo que nunca llegues a tiempo!

Es verdad que por la noche la calle siempre está llena de gente comiendo, bebiendo y, en general, pasándolo genial, a pesar de la crisis. Como Murcia no es una ciudad muy turística, todo es baratísimo y se puede cenar una tapa y una copa de vino por €1.50, si sabes donde ir. Es una ciudad con influencia barroca, gótica y musulmana donde uno puede perderse en las pequeñas calles que llegan a bares escondidos con la mejor comida de la ciudad. Ya sé que se supone que el año al extranjero es fundamentalmente en la universidad, pero lo más importante es que te sumerges en la cultura y la vida española, que salgas a los bares locales, pruebes la comida y que hables con la gente española.

‘VIVA SUA PAIXAO’- LOS JUEGOS OLÍMPICOS DE BRASIL 2016 Por Alli Heart

Después de mucho anticipación, y ser honesto trepidación, los juegos olímpicos de Londres 2012 tuvieron gran éxito. Si, costó más de once billones libros y si la distribución de las entradas fue un desastre; pero a fin de cuentas la capital desfrutó un maravilloso verano de logros deportivos, y ganó un sentido de orgullo por siendo el solo país que ha ganado tres veces los olímpicos veraneos. Los juegos crearon un ambiente que fomentaba y continúa a fomentar los deportes y una vida activa sobre las generaciones jóvenes. Al final de los juegos en 2012 el ‘partying’ país de Brasil fue elegido el anfitrión para los de 2016- será el primer país de Latinoamérica a celebrar los juegos que también significa que la África es la sola continente que todavía no ha sido podido disfrutar tal honor. ‘Vivasuapaixao’(viva tu pasión) es el emocionante lima bajo que el país se esta preparando – aun, por su puesto, primo celebrará El Campeonato del Mundo en 2014 –pero pregunto: como se enfrentará el desafío de ser la sede del evento deportivo mas grande del mondo?

El gobierno brasileño esta invertido casi once billones libros en el desarrollado de la bellísima ciudad de Rio de Janeiro delante de los juegos. El parco olímpico será más de 185 acres en tamaño mientras los varios eventos se organizarán en 34 campos extendidos sobre cuatros barrios cruza la ciudad: Barra de Tivuja, Copacabana, Deodoro and Maracana. Una mayor preocupación de algunos comentarios es si la infraestructura de la ciudad podrá encargar las necesidades del número de personas que visitarán; por ejemplo actualmente el Rio Metro tiene solo dos líneas. No obstante las medidas se están dibujadas para mejorar el sistema de transporte en la capital, el metro será extendido por 14km a crear 6 estaciones nuevas y los mejoramientos de los trenos y los autobuses también han sido propuesto.

Hay temor también que los olímpicos podrían tener un afecto perjudicial para el país que recientemente se refieren como una estrella en alza en el mercado económico global. Es hecho que los juegos no tengan buenos antecedentes en relación a los beneficios económicos esperados, pero personalmente me siento que la promoción de su imagen nacional y la cuantidad extensa de turistas que visitarán durante el verano compensarán la inversión grande inicial.

¿Y qué de la pregunta que subconscientemente piensan los ingleses: cómo los compararán a los juegos olímpicos de Londres? No podemos negar que estamos, un poquito por lo menos, ansiosos a ver qué tipo de espectáculos extravagantes los brasileños se inventarán para sus ceremonias de inauguración y conclusión. Ya puedo imaginar un verano de fiestas, colores, baile, bikinis, música y diversión – uno grande carnaval. Cada país anfitrión quiere dejar una legacía de celebrando los mejores olímpicos en su época y aunque verdaderamente creo que los de 2012 fueron uno de los juegos más memorables, cuando viene 2016 será difícil resistir el ambiente apasionante y embriagador que ofrecerán los latinoamericanos. ¡Vamos Brasil 2016!

Deutsch BERLIN,

MEIN HERZ SCHLÄGT SICH FÜR DICH!

Von Lija Lascenko

Mit 18 verließ ich mein kleines Heimatland Lettland um die vereinte Europa zu entdecken. Nach Großbritannien und Italien ist Deutschlanddas dritte Land,woich Auslandsstudiummache. Als ichdenFlugdirekt von FlorenznachBerlinnahm,wundertensich meine Freunde,wie mirderhöchstorganisierte deutsche Alltag nachderunbekümmerten italienischen Aufenthalt, vollSonne und Kaffee, vorkommen würde. Und jetzt, zwei Monate später, gebe ich ihnen meine eindeutige Antwort – ich bin begeistert! Ich habe zusammen mit Frühlingsberlin aus dem kalten Winter langsam aufgewacht und mein Alltag ist zwar beschäftigungsvoll, aber reizendabwechslungsreich,blütenduftendundsonnig!Naja,derFilterkaffeeschmecktebennichtsogut,dasmussichzugeben.

OrdnungheißtKooperation

Die berühmte deutsche Ordnung erwies sich ein Mythos. Servicekräfte im „Lotto“ Laden, die direkt vorm Kunde auf ihren Handys rumtasten, die Angestellten der HU, die ihren Mangel an Hilfsbereitschaft mit der Förderung der Selbständigkeit erklären und die ungeheureren Schlangen in öffentlichen Behörden – das alles hat mich in den ersten Tagen verblüfft. Aber dann bekam ich Schritt für Schritt das Gespür für das deutsche Verständnis der Organisation. Ordnung heißt nicht, dass alles für dich durchgedacht wird, Ordnung heißt, dass man zusammen denkt.

DerfreieLauf

Obwohl Berlin zu groß ist, um ohne Medien über alle Veranstaltungen und besichtigungswerten Orten informiert zu sein, ist es ebenso schön Berlin ohne Wegweiser zu entdecken.. Meine beste Freundin hat mir von Anfang an gesagt: „Lass deine Füße einfach laufen; in Berlin kommt man immer irgendwohin an!“ Von solcher spontanen Navigation getrieben, haben wir beide eines Tages eine halbe Stadt überquert nur weil wir unbedingt wissen wollten, was hinter der nächsten Ecke steckt. Die ungewöhnliche Kombination von gelegentlich benachbarten Gebäuden aus verschiedenen Epochen und Stilen macht Berlin zu einer Stadt, von der man nie ermattet wird. Genauso spannend sind Sonntagsspaziergänge durch solche ruhige Bezirke wie Westend. Zwischen gemütlichen Familienhäusern befinden sich kleine Stadtoasen – winzige Gartenanlagen voll Vogelgezwitscher und duftendem Gebüsch.

DaseinistModesein

Wenn man durch die Stadt läuft und sich immer unter den Menschen befindet, ist es wichtig an den einheimischen Dress-Code anzupassen. Unterscheidet sich Berlin von anderen Ländern, wo ich bisher gelebt habe. Berlin ist seinerseits sehr kosmopolitisch. Sowie Architektur sind die Kleidungsweisen einheitlich in ihrer Vielfalt. Jeder einzelne Mensch zieht sich so an, wie ihm gefällt und dadurch bilden alle Stadteinwohner den bunten und atemraubenden Pfauschwanz.

BerlinerHoffnung

SOWIE ARCHITEKTUR SIND DIE KLEIDUNGSWEISEN EINHEITLICH IN IHRER VIELFALT

Was die gelobte Berliner Kreativität trotzdem verdirbt, sind die unendlichen Baustellen. Offensichtlich bleiben sie nie unbemerkt, denn sogar Direktorin des internationalen Büro begrüßte alle Auslandstudenten der HU mit der Zitat des Architekten Renzo Piano, der die Baustellen mit Menschenentwicklung und Hoffnung vergleicht. Obwohl solche Worten sich komisch anhören, hat Renzo Piano irgendwie Recht. Je länger man in Berlin wohnt, desto besser erkennt man, dass es eine sehr mutige und hoffnungsvolle Stadt ist. Trotz Schicksalsschlägen, Krisenzeiten und noch unbewältigter Armut wird Berlin weiter saniert, umgebaut und konstruiert. Diese Stadt bietet alles, was man braucht – Bibliotheken, Parken, Arbeitsstellen, effiziente Verkehrsverbindung, kostengünstige Lebensmitteln, immer noch niedrige Miete und den Glauben in eine bessere Zukunft. Sei Berlin arm und chaotisch, er hat mit seiner Dynamik und unsterblicher Jugend mein Herz erobert. Nachdem ich Berlin für weitere Reisen verlasse, werde ich bestimmt zurückkommen, und ich bin mir ganz sicher – das Lied der S-Bahn Musikanten wird ganz anders klingeln: „Hit the road Jack… you will come back once more!“

Full article online

Русский Язык

Чуждые ситуации за рубежом

By Lola Lowal/Russian version by Chloe Woodward

Когда человек живёт за границей, очень вероятно, что у него будут некоторые странные опыты. Если бы вы находились в такой ситуации, вот некоторые хорошие советы...

(Внимание! То, что следует, не для трусов!)

Что делать...когда вы вступаете в человеческую

какашку.

НЕ...прийдите в возбуждение (и не расскажите всем друзям в интернете).

Обнаружив такую какашку на туфле, я замерла за две минуты, а потом выбежала из туалета, чтобы спрятиться в спальне. Не могла кричить из-за того, что было около трёх ночи, поэтому включила

компьютер и рассказала всем на твиттере о всём. Забыла, что ночью они бы не интересовались такой проблемой и также, проблема какашки ещё не решена!

НЕ...попытайтесь догадываться о том, кто насрал на пол.

В квартире живут только я, хозяйка и её племянник. Домашних животных нет. Помня это, лучше не догадываться – эта информация не нужна.

ПРЕЖДЕ ВСЕГО...скажите хозяйке (и смейтесь над собой!)

Это унизительно, а обязательно.

Преподавательница по устному языку бы выла гордой мной – мне удалось объяснить хозяйке всё

и она даже почистила туфлю.

В конце концов, надо смеяться. Надеюсь, что сейчас вы все смеётесь!

русский театр by Becky Keogh

ВовремямоегопребываниявМоскве, япомогалa студентямизМосковского Государственного Лингвистического Университета готовить пьесу о британской истории и культуре. Выступили сцены о королеве Виктории, британском юморе, традиционнойшотландскойодеждеи группе The Beatles.Знаниестудентов,про

и все эти темы и больше, было впечатляющим.Вовремярепетиций,я познакомилaсь со многими новыми друзьями, я с которыми разговариваемрегулярно.Былo очень хороший способ познакомиться с

русскимиидалмнемногонапамять. Страсть студентов к Великобритании была очевидна, поддериваевшихся

гостеприимной и восторженной преподавательницой Натальей

Токаревой, которая гарантировал, что, даже когда это казалось маловероятным, шоу прошёл успешным. У меня даже было шанс

выступить с моим другом, который сделалвечернамного незабываемее!

Если бы нас попросили, чтобы выступить такую же пьесу о русской

истории и культуре ещё раз, я сомневаюсьвтом, чтомыбы смогли достичьтакогожеуровнязнанийи таланта.

汉语

THE SIX CATEGORIES OF CHINESE CHARACTERS By Yasi Huang

Every language has its own history and characteristics, which can be shown in its writing system. Differing from western alphabets which mainly show the pronunciation, Chinese characters are more complicated; both in appearance and significance. The structure of a character, or in other words, the reasons why a character is written in a certain way, are also varied. Based on the types of these structures, Chinese linguists divide the characters into several kinds.

Though the basis for the division remains controversial, most traditional linguists agree to divide the characters into six parts: pictographs ( 象 形字Xiàngxíngzì), ideographic characters ( 指示字 Zhǐshìzì) , associative compounds ( 会意字 Huìyìzì), phono-semantic characters ( 形声字 Xíngshēngzì), loancharacters (假借字 Jiǎjièzì ) and mutuallyexplanatorycharacters ( 转注字 Zhuǎnzhùzì). The first four categories are based on the coinage methods, the structure composition, while the last two refer to usage. This kind of division is called the Six Categories of Chinese Characters ( 六书 Liùshū). It can be dated back to the Zhou Dynasty (1046 B.C.–256 B.C.), when the phrase first appeared in an ancient poem related to national education. However, the details of this division were not explained until the Han Dynasty (202 B.C.220 A.D.). The historian Bān Gù (班固 32-92) and the scribe Liú Xīn ( 刘歆 50 B.C.-23A.D.) both listed the categories in their writings respectively, just before the linguist Xǔ Shèn (许慎 58-147) gave the clear definition of each classification in his OriginofChineseCharacters (

Shuōwénjiězì). Two thousand years later, this book is still one of the most authoritative references in the study of Chinese characters.

Due to the historical changes in Chinese, the Six Categories is no longer the core for the modern lexicographic practice; but it is still basic knowledge for Chinese linguists. Through the process of classification, it is easier to understand the original meaning and usage for each character, as well as the changes of the whole characters system over their long history.

独在异乡为异客 By

Siu Yin Wong

什么？你是中国人？我还以为你是在香港长大的？’一位刚结识没多久的英国朋友惊讶地对我说。 ‘香港人也是中国人啊。’

‘是吗？原来如此。’ *

中秋节，在外国人的口中一般被称为‘月亮节’，是中国除了农历新年之外最重要的节日，以农历八月十五月圆之日为期，有着‘团圆’ 的含义。

在来到伯明翰留学之前，我还没有试过中秋节不和家人一起庆祝。中秋节将至，纵然我有由家乡带来了月饼、瓜子等应节食物，但不知 为何，总是感觉到一股凄凉，没有节日喜气洋洋的感觉。这一刻，我才发觉原来使到一个节日特别的并不是美轮美奂的装饰以及丰盛的食 物，而是在于一些你关心、你喜爱的人。

‘每逢佳节倍思亲’，节日将至，有着这样心思的人们原来并不止我一个。很多的中国留学生都在互相邀约，准备不同的节目以一起共 度中秋。在一次学生会联谊的活动中，我认识了几位住在附近的中国留学生，聊着聊着话题就带到了将到的中秋节上。 ‘中秋节要不要一起吃饭？’突然间一位同学问我，并告诉我他们那天会在住所里煮饭，我只需要准时来到即可。我连忙答应了。 中秋节当日，我拿着月饼、一瓶威士忌战战惶惶地登门。们很快就开了，一位女生笑脸相迎着我进去，见到我的月饼还‘哇’一声的惊 呼，甜甜地笑了一笑对我说一声‘太客气了’。往里一看，只见到两三个留学生在厨房里全神贯注地准备着晚餐。 在留学生当中有一个共同的认知：留学的时间越长，厨艺就越精致。比较可惜的是当时在场的学生们全都是一年或两年级的，留学时间 不够长，做饭的手艺也自然不够，煮饭的时候自然也就乌龙百出。这一道菜烤糊了、那一道菜的辣椒放得太多了，但我们都只是笑呵呵地 面对，没有人会介意这些问题。

几个人在做饭，剩下的人就在相互聊天。那一刻，很多一些本来存在的问题都不显得微不足道。无论是北京人、湖南人、杭州人、香港 人都能和和气气地打成一片，什么北方南方的代沟、中港的矛盾在那一刻都消失的无影无踪。 在这样的一个节日之中，桌上的食物、杯中的酒品都不是人们关注的重点。反而重要的是能够在这样的一个日子里和来自五湖四海的同 学共聚一堂，庆祝节日才是乐趣之在。

思乡是一种古老的烦恼，平时可能因为生活中的种种俗务而无动于衷，但到了节日那种思念却特别浓厚。

但愿人长久，千里共婵娟。

Português

PORTO - A CIDADE DO VINHO Por

Catia Vaz

A bela cidade do Porto, no lindo norte de Portugal, é conhecida por várias tradições culturais, mas o seu maior tesouro é o magnífico vinho do Porto. Este famoso vinho é um vinho fortificado, e é produzido exclusivamente a partir de uvas da Região Demarcada do Douro. Curiosamente, apesar de ser conhecido como o vinho do Porto, esta bebida é armazenada nas caves de Vila Nova De Gaia. A origem do nome surge da exportação deste vinho para todo o mundo a partir da cidade to Porto.

Fundamentalmente, a produção do vinho em um clima único, e a interrupção da sua fermentação, tornam o vinho do Porto, um vinho incrivelmente distinto de todos os outros. É um vinho naturalmente doce, mas também mais forte do que os restantes vinhos.

Essencialmente existem três tipos de vinho do Porto: Branco, Ruby e Tawny. O vinho do Porto branco deve ser consumido como um aperitivo, antes das refeições, mas os vinhos tintos, Ruby e Tawny, devem ser apreciados como uma sobremesa, acompanhados por queijo ou chocolate.

Tradicionalmente, o preço de uma garrafa é estabelecido segundo a classificação do envelhecimento do vinho. Os vinhos mais envelhecidos pertencem a categorias especiais, como os vinhos de Reserva ou os vinhos Vintage. Estes vinhos são os mais caros e os mais prestigiosos da família dos vinhos do Porto.

Existem 16 diferentes marcas de vinho do Porto. A marca portuguesa mais conhecida é Ferreira, estabelecida inicialmente por D. Antónia Ferreira. A experiencia de visitar uma das originais caves do vinho do Porto, como as caves Ferreira, é encantadora. Cada esquina e cada corredor estão cheios de história, segredos e lembranças.

PORTUGUÊS BRAZILEIRO, PORTUGUÊS EUROPEO OU A LÍNGUA PORTUGUESA?

Por Beate Westlake

Sou uma estudante de Português na Universidade e uso o Português Brasileiro, mas notei as diferenças entre o português Europeu e Brasileiro. Existem opiniões conflituantes sobre o tema da “reforma ortográfica” e hoje em dia, são modificadas 1,6% das palavras do português Europeu e 0,5% das palavras do português do Brasil. Por um lado isto não só facilita o ensino da língua portuguesa mas também unifica a língua e as pessoas da lusofonia. Entretanto há algumas pessoas que não estão de acordo com a reforma porque pensam que é impossível, e porque acham que não vale apena tanto investimento do dinheiro público.

A reforma ortográfica facilita o ensino da língua portuguesa porque as diferenças são reduzidas. Portanto os estudantes e pessoas que queiram aprender português só têm que aprender uma língua em vez de duas variantes da mesma língua. Por exemplo quando estava aprendendo o Português ao início, foi difícil a me familiarizar com as duas variantes ao mesmo tempo. Contudo, parece que agora não podemos unificar as línguas porque as pronúncias são diferentes e isso provocará problemas fonéticos.

Além disso, um problema é que hoje em dia o processo de manter essas línguas com distintas ortografias implica um custo económico elevado. Por exemplo, os livros e os dicionários têm que incluir as duas variantes de português, e assim os alunos de língua Portuguesa sofrem. Mas este problema também implica custos de substituição de materiais, se adoptarmos a reforma ortográfica.

Há alguns que pensam que a dupla grafia impede a internacionalização da língua, por isso se fosse unificada poderia criar uma maior integração entre as nações. Por exemplo, poderia ser adoptada como a língua de trabalho da ONU. Mas de outra forma, poderia também ser uma tentativa dos mais fortes dominarem os mais fracos, que iria ficar, com disse a doméstica Otília Mendes, um pouco ‘abrasileirada ’ porque a maioria das lusofonias são do Brasil. Seria injusto para aqueles que não tem o poder de defender a sua língua.

Em conclusão, as línguas são adaptadas durante muito tempo e a unificação vai contra a natureza que a sociedade criou. Como é mostrado no vídeo LínguavidasemPortuguêso Português é falado em todo o mundo, sendo usado por uma variedade de pessoas que possuem pronúncias diferentes. Seria triste reduzir a língua portuguesa a uma só forma de escrita quando podia continuar a ser uma língua mista, uma vez que tem uma grande mistura de pessoas que a falam.

Italiano

SEMBRA DAVVERO ITALIANO, MA NON LO É!

Por Roberta Patellaro

Dopo aver vissuto qualche anno all’estero, ho notato che ci sono molte cose che vengono catalogate come appartenenti alla tradizione italiana, ma in realtà non lo sono. Questa che propongo é una lista dei dieci più comuni “falsi italiani”: é ora di sfatare questi miti! 1

Spaghetti with meatballs: cominciamo con i famosi ‘spaghetti con polpette’, che non troverete in nessun ristorante in Italia. La ricetta é infatti nata negli Stati Uniti agli inizi del ‘900 per compensare la scarsa qualità dei pomodori ed arricchire il sugo con quella carne che in America era comune, ma in Italia scarseggiava.

2 Pizza Hawaiana: questo tipo di pizza ha origini tutte americane e deve il nome alla presenza dell’ananas sciroppata e il bacon. La frutta serve a dare un sapore dolce che é decisamente diverso dal gusto italiano.

3 Il riso e la pasta come ‘side dish’: durante un pasto in Italia la pasta o il riso vengono serviti come piatto unico e vengono solitamente seguiti da un piatto di carne o pesce; ma mai li troverete insieme nello stesso piatto.

4 Il cappuccino a fine pasto: in Italia il cappuccino viene bevuto durante la prima colazione, il caffé é l’unica bevanda che puo’ seguire la fine del pasto.

5 Le tovaglie rosse, bianche e verdi: molti dei ristoranti all’estero che vogliono sembrare italiani usano tovaglie di questi colori, ma in Italia nessun ristorante utilizza questo tovagliato e gli italiani evitano sicuramente il ristorante che provi a farlo.

6 La serenata a mezzanotte: per qualche motivo gli stranieri pensano che sia comune usanza che il promesso sposo faccia una serenata alla fiancé; in realtà non é assolutamente una cosa che succede spesso, soprattutto se l’uomo non sa né cantare né suonare!

7 Il Papa: tanto per chiarificare, nonostante il Vaticano si trovi a Roma, il papa non deve essere per forza italiano. L’attuale papa Ratzinger é tedesco.

8 Spinoza: nonostante il filosofo abbia un cognome che puo’ sembrare italiano, la famiglia era originaria del Portogallo e Spinoza stesso é olandese.

9 I Sopranos: questi personaggi non hanno nulla di italiano, tanto che in Italia questa serie tv ha avuto davvero poco successo. I Sopranos sono basati sugli stereotipi degli italoamericani, mafiosi, adulteri e violenti, ma non c’é assolutamente nulla di veritiero.

10 Jersey Shore: il cast di jersey Shore in realtà ha davvero molto poco di italiano. La maggior parte di loro sono solo per metà italiani e neanche tutti. Angelina Pivarnick é completamente polacca e Snooki é cilena ed adottata da una famiglia italiana!

In conclusione non tutto quel che viene spacciato per italiano, lo é poi davvero!

ALICE GUTHRIE INTERVIEW

ةيبرعلا

Alice Guthrie studied “Arabic and Translation” at The University of Exeter which has consequently enabled her to travel all around many Arab countries for enjoyment as well as to work as a Freelance literary translator. During my interview with Alice, I asked her a few questions:

Firstly,doyouhaveanytipsforstudentsinArabicstudiesonhowtoexcelinthisfield?

Don’t be afraid of ‘immersing yourself’ as much as possible during your year abroad by speaking to natives as well as exposing yourself to the different dialects. In my particular case, I learnt ‘the Syrian dialect’ but ‘I’m also interested in much of the North African dialect itself’. Secondly, work hard on pronunciation as many students after four years of Arabic studies can write grammatically accurate Arabic but if your Arabic doesn’t sound like Arabic then communication is still impaired.

WhatadvicewouldyougivetoLinguist’sthinkingofacareerintranslation,ingeneral?

Ask yourself ‘Do you have an aptitude for translation?’ and ‘Do you enjoy writing?’. Remember a lot of perseverance is required in Translation as work can sometimes be scarce particularly in Literary Translation. However, ‘Literary translation can sometimes feel like you’re getting paid as a student’ as you are continuing to learn about the Arabic language after completing your degree. So, if you want to continue to develop your language skills after graduation then Freelance Translation can help to achieve this. Equally, try looking for Mentor schemes and translation work on ‘Literature across frontiers’. Both these sites can help to see what the work is like as well as perhaps giving you access to training by experienced translators. For example, Emily Danby (Translator) was mentored by the Marilyn Booth (Academic) which consequently led to Danby’s recent translation of the novel ‘Cinnamon’ by Samar Yazbek from Arabic to English. Finally,whatisyourfavouritephrase(s)inArabic?

(il-Haraka Baraka)

It’s an Egyptian Arabic proverb which means movement is a blessing. It kind of suggests the need to be active in life. But I also really like:

(Ya Rabbi zidni 'ilma)

This is taken from a Dua in the Koran which can be said when one seeks greater wisdom and knowledge.

Both articles by Assma Youssef

دومحم

Mahmoud Darwish a palestinian poet known for his romantic poems which grasp the hearts of all those who encounter him. The most romantic of all would be his piece called اهرظتناmeaning wait for her. This is mainly due to Darwish’s use of imagery and metaphors portraying the blossoming love of a couple. For example, in the poem we could interpret the recurring use of اهرظتناas conveying the necessity to be patient with your partner by waiting for them to feel more comfortable around you emotionally and sexually. Yet, there is a particular simile (my favourite) in the first stanza which states:

One interpretation of this line could be that it reflects Darwish’s view on the way we see beauty. In this case to respect a woman’s natural beauty in a similar way that we acknowledge the beauty of nature seen in gardens for example. Furthermore, this adds to the respect given to women in the poem through emphasising the importance of respecting their beauty, personality and emotions when in a relationship. Clearly a romantic, Mahmoud Darwish is definitely a poet worth listening whether it be simply for enjoyment or critical thinking. If in doubt, just check him out.

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